Fire-escape.



No. 897,634. 3' PATENTED SEPT. 1, 1908'.

e. LEBRI.

FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLIGATION FILED NOV. 16, 1907.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

IN VEN TOR.

WITNESSES:

mm @M am BY ATTO-RINE Y.

r": NORRIS PETERS cm, wAsnmcmN, n. c.

No. 897,684. PATENTED SEPT. 1, 1908. G. LEBRI.

FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 16, 1907.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Fla; 5.

WITNESSES: 11v VENTOR.

WWW

A TTORNE Y.

rm: NORRIS PEYERS co.,wAsnma1wv, 0.1:

GEORGE LEBRI, OF SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 1, 1908.

Application filed November 16, 1907. Serial No. 402,449.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE LEBRI, a citizen of Canada, residing at Salem, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to fire escapes of the extension ladder type. It comprises a series of laddersections each about as long as the height of a story of a building and adapted to slide one upon the other. The top section is made fast to the building and the others are drawn up against it where they are securely held by suitable means. When it is desired to use the fire escape, the sections are released by suitable means operated from any point, as a window, between the top story and the ground, when the sections descend and form a continuous ladder from top to bottom for exit from the building at any adjacent window in case of fire.

To protect persons descending the ladders from falling off and from fire and smoke, each ladder section carries a metal shield which telescopes with the shield above and below when the ladders are raised.

all showing the basket.

To provide for infirm or unconscious persons, or children I provide a fireproof basket which is operated by the same means as the ladder sections and can be raised and lowered from the ground inside the extended shields when the ladders are extended but not until they are extended.

My invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which,

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side view of the device showing the parts when raised and by dotted lines the position of the chain and ladder when lowered. Fig. 2 is a sectional side view showing the basket up and the ladder down the shields, hood and winding shaft being shown in section. Fig. 3 is a front View with the ladder and basket'both raised but with the shields and most of the ladder rungs eliminated for greaterclearness. Fig. 4 is a front view with the ladder and basket both down also without the shields. Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are details of the extension legs and of the ladderjoints. Fig. 8 is a section on line X Y of Fig. 3 and shows the relationship of the telescoping parts when raised, the lifting mechanism, etc., being omitted for clearness. Fig. 9 is a front view, Fig. 10 is a side view and Fig. 11 is a section on line M N of Fig. 10, Figs. 12 and 13 show the window and window handle for operating the device. Fig. 14 is a schematic view of the barrel, chain and hook.

My device comprises a plurality of ladder sections 20, 21, 22, and 23 of which the top one 20 is permanently attached to the building by means of brackets 30, 31, and 32. Each ladder section is of any convenient length, preferably about equal to the height of a story of the building. Each section, except the bottom, is provided along each side with a longitudinal slot 24. This slot 24 curves in at the bottom toward the building, as at 25. Each lower section is of a width to slide inside the section above. At the top,

.on each side, each lower section is provided with a pin 26 adapted to slide in slot 24, 25 of the section above. It will be readily seen that as a lower section of the ladder is raised,

pin 26, sliding in slot 25 and 24 will throw the lower section outward so as to clear the rungs of the ladder section above. Then the sections are all raised, they assume the position shown in Fig. 1 and when they are lowered they form a straight continuous ladder which slopes outward from the wall.

To protect the apparatus from the weather and to prevent the shields from acting as a chimney, I affix to the building a metal hood 44 over the top of the apparatus. To each ladder section, except the bottom one 23, I affix a substantially semicircular metal shield 40, 42, and 43 all of which telescope as shown in Fig. 8 when the ladders are raised.

For the purpose of raising and lowering the ladders, I use a chain 50 which is attached at one end to the bottom rung of the bottom ladder, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and passes upward over a barrel 51 carried by shaft 52 which is supported by brackets 31, 31 and carries at its end a handle 53 which is preferably detachable as shown. Barrel 51 carries a hook 54, see Fig. 14, about which the middle ortion of chain 50 is looped. When handle 53 is turned in the right direction, it winds up both ends of chain 50. One end is attached to the ladder, as stated, and the other end passes up and over pulleys 60 supported by a beam 61 extended from the wall 62 of the building. This end of chain 50 raises the basket 70 at the same time with the ladder, by being wound on barrel 51. As the chain 50 is wound up, it raises the lower ladder section 23 until it is superposed over the one above. WVhen the pin 26 reaches the top of slot 24 in section 22 it will begin to raise that section also and so on until all the sections are raised to the position shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 3. This basket is semicircular in shape as viewed from the top and is small enough to pass readily inside ofthe shields 40, 42, 43. On the side next the ladder, at the bottom, it curves outward so that it may, if necessary, slide down along the rungs of the ladder. It is provided with sliding doors 71 and 72 which can be pushed back when anyone goes into the basket and can then be closed. The basket is made of sheet metal and, as it is closed at the top, when the doors are closed a person inside thereof can be safely lowered through smoke or flames without injury. The shields 40, 42, 43 are an additional protection in this respect.

As it is not my intention to use the basket, except in emergencies, I provide a double pronged hook 73 which is adapted to hook over a bar 33 carried by a projection from brackets 30, 30. This hook 73 is pivoted to the bail 74 of the basket, and at the bottom is provided with a tail 75 which prevents it from pivoting backward beyond a certain point on account of coming in contact with a stop 76, fastened to the top of basket 70. See Fig. 10. On the opposite side from the tail 75, that is next the ladder, is a projection which carries a hook counter weight 77 and is also pivoted to a hanger 78 attached to the end of chain 50.

The hook 73 serves ordinarily to suspend basket 70 from bar 33. Basket 70 is hooked into place by being raised as described until hook 73 is a little above bar 33. I-Iook 73 is then drawn by hand over bar 33 and chain 50 is relaxed until hook 73 supports the weight of basket 70 upon bar 33.

It will be seen that, on account of the double winding of chain 50 on barrel 51, when it is unwound chain 50 will assume the position shown in the dotted lines in Fig. 1 until it is com letely unwound at which time the loop will r0 off from hook 54 and the surplus chain wi 1 drop to the ground, as shown in Fig. 2.

If it is desired to use basket 7 O, the ladder must first be dropped and when all of chain 50 has run out, as shown in Fig. 2 chain 50 is pulled enough to lift hook 73 and tip it backwards as far as permitted by stop 76, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 2, whereby it is released from bar 33 and basket 70 can be raised and lowered at will from the ground by means of the chain 50. Another duty which the basket hook 73 performs is that of an emergency catch. If chain 50 should break while lowering basket 70, it drops and ceases to pull, when hook counter weight 77 will throw hook 73 towards the ladder, as shown in Fig. 10, where it will catch upon one of the rungs and hold the basket from falling to the ground.

Ordinarily the basket and ladders are in the position shown in Fig. 1. For the purpose of holding the ladder sections in their raised position until a fire occurs, I provide a' A spring 81 riveted to stationary ladder section 20 clasps the other sections when they are raised to prevent them from swinging or swaying out at the bottom. This spring 81 is so placed that when all the ladder sections are up, it can pass through the openings 45, 45 in the shields. A cord or preferably a trip chain 82 runs up along the side of the building neXt the windows and over suitable pulleys and terminates in branches which connect respectively with the free ends of pawl and of spring 81. It will be readily seen that by pulling this trip chain 82, s ring 81 will be released and pawl 80 will e released from ratchet 56 when the weight of the ladder sections will cause them to descend.

To prevent a too rapid descent, I provide a cord 57 which is attached at one end to any stationary part of the device as a rung of section 20 and is then wrapped around shaft 52 and carries at its free end a brake weight 58. This acts as a brake or governor and allows the ladders to descend slowly. I provide a shelf 84 attached to the building, to catch weight 58 in case cord 57 breaks.

Each window W, except the bottom one, is provided with a balcony B from which a person can pass through the door opening 45 in each shield onto the ladder. I also preferably provide an upper ventilating opening 46 in each shield.

Inasmuch as the ladders, when down,

the sections are all down, all the legs are straight and hold the ladders rigidly and accurately away from the wall of the building.

To get the necessary force on trip chain 82, I pivot to the building, at the side of each window, a cog wheel and friction roller 91 on each side of chain 82. See Fig. 13. I-Iandle 92 connects with a ratchet 93, attached to cog wheel 90, whereby by working handle 92 up and down chain 82 may be pulled with great force from any window.

If desired,basket- 70 may be held up by chain 50 as is the ladder, without the use of hook 73 as shown by the full lines in Fig. 1. In such case, it will descend with the ladders and at the same time.

What I claim as my invention and desire to cover by Letters Patent is 1. In a fire escape, a series of ladder sections of which the top section is fixed to the building and the others are slidably attached to it or to each other, a basket, a shaft, a handle therefor, a barrel thereon, a hook in the barrel, pulleys, a support therefor, and a chain looped around the hook and connected at one end to the bottom rung of the lower ladder section and at its other end passed over said pulleys and attached to the basket as described.

2. In a fire escape, a series of ladder sections of which the top section is fixed to the building and the others are slidably attached to it or to each other, metal telescoping shields with side openings attached to the ladder sections, a basket located. inside said shields, and means whereby the ladder sec tions and the basket may be raised together and may be lowered independently.

3. In a fire escape, a series of ladder sections of which the top section is fixed to the building and the others are slidably attached to it or to each other, a basket, means for raising the ladder sections and basket together, means for holding the basket up, and means for holding the ladder up, means for releasing the ladder, and different means for releasing the basket.

4. In a fire escape, a series of ladder sections of which the top section is fixed to the building and the others are slid ably attached to it or to each other, a basket, a shaft, a handle therefor, a barrel thereon, a hook-in the barrel, pulleys, a support therefor, and a chain looped around the hook and connected at one end to the bottom rung of the lower ladder section and at its other end passed over said pulleys and attached to the basket as described, combined with a ratchet carried by said shaft, a pawl which engages said ratchet, and a trip chain which is attached to said pawl and passes within reach of persons in the different stories of the building.

5. In a fire escape, a series of ladder sections of which the top section is fixed to the building and the others are slidably attached to it or to each other, a supporting bar, a basket, a basket hook pivoted to the basket and adapted to engage said bar, a shaft, ahandle therefor, a barrel thereon, a hook in the barrel, pulleys, a support therefor, and a chain looped around the hook and connected at one end to the bottom rung of the lower section and at its other end passed over said pulleys and pivoted to the basket hook as described.

6. In a fire escape, a series of ladder sections of which the top section is fixed to the building and the others are slidably attached to it or to each other, vertical tracks attached to the building, and folding legs attached to each ladder section, each set of legs provided with rollers adapted to run on said tracks, combined with means for raising and lowering said ladder sections.

7. In a fire escape, a fixed ladder section provided with slots in its sides which curve inward at the bottom, a plurality of moveable ladder sections each fitted inside the section above and each provided with a projecting pin which enters the slot of the ladder above and each except the bottom section provided with slots similar to those in the top section, and means for lowering said sections as described.

8. In a fire escape, a series of ladder sections of which the top section is fixed to the building and the others are slidably attached to it or to each other, a plurality of curved shields each attached to a ladder section and each provided with a side opening, a vertical track upon the building, a plurality of folding legs attached to the ladder sections and each provided with wheels to travel on the vertical track, a supporting bar, a curved basket, curved sliding doors on each side of the basket, a basket hook pivoted to the basket and adapted to engage said supporting bar, a shaft, a handle therefor, a barrel thereon, a hook in the barrel, pulleys fixed over said shields, a support therefor, a chain looped around the hook in the barrel and connected. at one end to the bottom rung of the lower ladder section and at its other end passed over said pulleys and pivoted to the basket hook at a different point from where the basket is pivoted, together with a ratchet carried by the barrel shaft, a pawl which engages said ratchet, and a trip chain which is attached to said pawl and passes at each story between a friction roller and a cog wheel which is connected to a ratchet and a handle, and a plurality of balconies with side exits corresponding with the openings in the shields and the doors in the basket.

9. In a fire escape, a series of ladder sections of which the top section is fixed to the building so as to slope away from it, and the others are slidably attached to it and to each other, a plurality of folding legs attached to said slidable ladder sections of increasing length from top to bottom and each provided with a roller which runs upon a vertical track upon the building, said vertical track, and means for raising and lowering said ladder sections as described.

10. In a fire escape, a series of ladder sections of which the top section is fixed to the building so as to slope away from it, and the others are slidably attached to it and to each other, a plurality of folding legs attached to said slidable ladder sections of increasing length from top to bottom and each provided with a roller which runs upon a vertiratchet, and a trip chain which is attached to said pawl and passes within reach of persons in the different stories of the building.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature 15 in presence of two witnesses.

hi GEORGE 2 LEBRI. mark Witnesses:

HARRY H. LAURENCE, ORRIN ANDREWS. 

